Mexico
August 18th, 2008 at 06:25am
Under Mexico
There are plenty of nasty culinary experiences to be had. Stories abound with variations on the themes of Moctezuma’s revenge and bizarre local specialties. Then there are the times a taste will take you into a whole new territory, far removed from your normal points of reference. It happened to me when I first tried huitlacoche - a mushroom-like delicacy known in English as Mexican truffle, corn fungus, or the even more intriguing corn smut.
A couple of Mexican friends were devouring innocent-looking quesadillas with gusto. I was urged to take a bite, then noticed a black substance oozing from the sides. With my limited Spanish I could only catch the phrases ‘found in corn’, ‘a kind of pest’. Images of corn-dwelling critters stuck around for a while, even after reassurances I was eating a vegetable, but the taste just blew me away.
These infected corn kernels turn to silky, inky-black bubbles when cooked. On the tongue, they release the complex, earthy flavour that enraptures the initiated.
I’ll keep waiting for my next taste sensation.
- Dolores Welt
By admin
September 26th, 2007 at 08:57pm
Under Mexico
NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - Mexico was named on Thursday as the best place in the world to retire by an annual retirement index, replacing last year’s winner Panama where real estate prices have soared.
Releasing its 15th annual global retirement index, International Living magazine said Mexico had jumped four places to top the list due to “an affordable combination of modern features and old-world charm.”
The report analyzes 29 countries, and gives them scores in categories including real estate, entertainment, special benefits offered to retirees, culture, safety and stability, healthcare, climate, infrastructure and cost of living.
“Moving to Mexico means you can still have all of the amenities you grew accustomed to north of the border: cable TV, high-speed Internet, and modern home appliances,” said the magazine’s managing editor Laura Sheridan in a statement.
Mexico also won praise for its health care, diverse climate and affordable real estate.
The magazine, which caters for people living and working overseas, said a beachfront property in Mexico could be bought for less than $100,000.
Trailing Mexico were Ecuador, Italy, Panama, Australia, Malta, Spain, South Africa, Malaysia, France and Thailand.
Panama fell to fourth slot due to a dramatic rise in real estate prices, particularly in Panama City, and because the government has recently restricted tourist visas to 30 days, making it harder for seasonal part-timers to live there.
The United States ranked No. 19 in the report, scoring poorly in the area of special benefits for retirees. It scored well in both safety and infrastructure.
The United Kingdom was ranked at the bottom of the list at 29 countries, largely due to its high real estate prices and overall high cost of living.
Tags: guides, , hilton, italy, motels, travel safety, florida, travel insurance, las vegas, disney, new york city, surfing, hotel, California, skiing, travel, air, attractions, mountains, spain
By admin
July 14th, 2007 at 08:58pm
Under Mexico
The list of new world wonders includes The Great Wall of China, Petra, Christ the Redeemer, Machu Picchu, The Colisseum, and Taj Mahal
The Mayan city of Chichen Itza, located in the Mexican state of Yucatan, was chosen as one of the “Seven New Wonders of the World” by approximately 100 million people around the globe, who cast their ballots by phone and Internet.
“The selection of Chichen Itza is recognition of the extremely vast and ancient historical and cultural heritage of Mexico, of which very few countries in the world can boast,” said Francisco Lopez Mena, CEO of the Mexico Tourism Board.
The announcement of Chichen Itza’s selection by the New7Wonders Foundation was made during a spectacular ceremony at Lisbon’s Stadium of Light.
The archaeological center of Chichen Itza, the most important Maya capital at the end of the classic period (750 to 1200 A.D.), was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988.
Chichen Itza, which in the Mayan language means “at the mouth of the well of the Itza,” was one of the most important Mayan political, commercial and religious centers of the classic period, but it fell into decline after the emergence of Mayapan as the new focal point of regional power in the Yucatan Peninsula.
The city is home to several buildings that are remarkable both for their architectural design and their religious and scientific significance. Among these are the Temple of Kukulkan (Feathered Serpent), the Observatory, the Temple of the Warriors and the Sacred Cenote (Well of Sacrifice).
The Temple of Kukulkan, one of the tallest and most notable structures in Mayan architecture sits on a 55.5-meter wide rectangular platform and rises to a height of 24 meters. Each of its four sides has 91 steps and the platform that crowns the pyramid is considered the 365th step, meaning there is one for each day of the solar calendar.
During the spring and fall equinox (March and September), visitors can enjoy a breathtaking spectacle: a corner of the Temple of Kukulkan casts a shadow in the shape of a giant “feathered serpent” that appears to slither its way down the side of the North staircase with the sun’s movement. This natural phenomenon of light and shadow is a unique experience that attracts visitors from all parts of the world.
The Observatory, also known as “El Caracol” (The Snail) for its stone spiral interior staircase, is a cylindrical building with a dome that was used as an astronomical observatory, with its doors aligned to view the spring equinox, the declinations of the Moon and other astronomical events that helped determine the complex but extremely exact Mayan calendar.
Other popular sites at Chichen Itza are the Great Ballcourt – which, measuring 168 meters long and 70 meters wide, is the largest that has been discovered in the region known as Mesoamerica – and the Sacred Cenote, a large sinkhole 60 meters in diameter from which great treasures have been recovered: rings, necklaces and objects of gold and jade.
Thanks to all the people who voted, Chichen Itza today is a new wonder of the world, considered an icon of universal importance for humanity. As a result of this global and democratic selection process, the world will know Mexico for one of its 173 archaeological jewels, tangible evidence of the plurality and ethnic richness of the country’s past.
We invite the world to visit and enjoy this impressive treasure, a symbol of the archaeological wealth of the Mayan world.
By admin
